Arizona State Senator Jake Hoffman (R-LD15) suggested Secretary of State Adrian Fontes’ handling of a “foreign cyberattack” looks like a “massive cover-up” in a fiery exchange on X, posted Tuesday.
🚨 AZ ELECTION CYBER ATTACK COVER-UP
Legislators report a briefing last week for GOP members downplaying severity of hack
NOW: Reports of a briefing today for DEM legislators only telling the full story
Further allegations from Hoffman that “Adrian Fontes is lying” followed Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer’s post about the reported hacking of the Secretary of State’s Candidate Portal. Hoffman added that the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are now involved in the matter.
In his initial post Bowyer wrote, “BREAKING NEWS: I was just was told by an inside source at the legislature that it appears the Arizona Secretary of State’s portal was hacked, believed to be impacting the Candidate portal, but possibly much more.”
BREAKING NEWS: I was just was told by an inside source at the legislature that it appears the Arizona Secretary of State’s portal was hacked, believed to be impacting the Candidate portal, but possibly much more.
The Secretary of State responded with a reference to his office’s July 1st press release writing, “Your ‘inside source’ finally read the press release we issued on July 1? Breaking news indeed.”
In the press release in question, Fontes’ office stated:
“The Secretary of State’s Office detected and successfully responded to a malicious adversary that targeted the Arizona Secretary of State’s website. These attempts were investigated, our security controls tuned for similar attack patterns, and applicable threat intelligence was shared with our cybersecurity partners. The Arizona statewide voter registration database was not targeted and is unaffected by this event. The integrity of all Secretary of State systems has been maintained and the office remains in a heightened security posture as we continue to monitor for new and evolving threats.”
In a statement Fontes said, “Our office identified patterns of activity consistent with what others are now publicly acknowledging, and we took decisive action to strengthen our defenses early on. I’m proud to say that critical systems—like Arizona’s voter registration database—remained secure and protected throughout. We will continue to lead with urgency and vigilance, because defending democracy doesn’t come with a pause button.”
In a response posted Tuesday night, Hoffman blasted Fontes writing, “July 1st press release looks like a MASSIVE cover up[.] FBI & DHS (at least!) now involved[.] A private briefing was held TODAY and legislators have confirmed that a ‘foreign cyberattack’ on AZ’s election system occurred[.] The public is totally in the dark[.] Adrian Fontes is lying!”
July 1st press release looks like a MASSIVE cover up
FBI & DHS (at least!) now involved
A private briefing was held TODAY and legislators have confirmed that a “foreign cyberattack” on AZ’s election system occurred
In a follow-up post he wrote, “AZ ELECTION CYBER ATTACK COVER-UP Legislators report a briefing last week for GOP members downplaying severity of hack[.] NOW: Reports of a briefing today for DEM legislators only telling the full story[.] FBI & DHS are confirmed to be involved[.] Why is Adrian Fontes lying?”
AZ Free News has reached out to Senator Hoffman seeking elaboration on the “private briefing” held Tuesday and the involvement of the FBI and Department of Homeland Security that “confirmed” a “foreign cyberattack’ on AZ’s election system.”
The steady decline of academic success and moral integrity is an undeniable reality in many Arizona school districts. K-12 libraries are plagued with sexually graphic novels. Science textbooks tout evolutionary theory and climate change nonsense. ELA assignments contain race-baiting themes and false social justice narratives. LGBTQ+ clubs are in full force, while private spaces still pose a safety risk to female students.
Do Christian/conservative teachers have any responsibility to restore order in our public schools? Aren’t they on the frontlines of steering young minds and upholding ethical standards in the classroom? Why don’t we see more exposure of subpar curricula and corrupt policies that fail to protect educators’ constitutional rights at work?
Will this school year be any different, or will Arizona teachers maintain the status quo?
Jessica Tapia’s Story
California educator and parental rights advocate Jessica Tapia
Jessica Tapia is an alumna and former employee of Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD). She graduated from Jurupa Valley High School, secured a full-time position in the district, and eventually landed her dream job as a high school P.E. teacher.
Tapia loved her career and her students, but she loved God foremost. And her faith would soon be tested.
Six years into her career, some JUSD students decided to research Tapia and discovered Christian/conservative posts on her social media page. The juveniles reported their findings to district officials, who conducted an internal investigation. Tapia was placed on administrative leave and admonished to hide her online profile. As a condition of employment, she would also have to agree to use students’ preferred names and pronouns, even without parental consent.
If Tapia complied with JUSD’s policies—including allowing boys to access girls’ locker rooms—she would keep her compensation package and enjoy acceptance among her peers. Otherwise, she faced serious and permanent consequences. Thankfully, Tapia not only believed in the unchanging truth that God created male and female, she was also willing to defend her faith and freedom of speech on school grounds.
Tapia was fired from her dream job, and the woke mob demanded her head on a platter. In a moment of truth, Tapia lost nearly everything she worked hard to achieve, and her reputation was now tarnished. JUSD reprimanded her for unprofessional conduct and accused her of publishing “racist, offensive, and disrespectful” content. No doubt, the most painful experiences came in the form of separating from her students and watching colleagues turn their backs.
This would be a sad story if it ended here.
Tapia knew her rights and filed a lawsuit against JUSD. Turns out, firing a teacher who refused to lie to students and families is not only morally reprehensible, but it’s also illegal. After a long battle with many ups and downs, stretching and testing her faith, Tapia finally won! JUSD settled with Tapia for $285,000 and another $75,000 for her attorney fees. She’s now one of America’s leading advocates for teachers and parental rights in education.
When JUSD violated Tapia’s First Amendment rights, she pushed back. When dangerous transgender policies contradicted her faith—and put female students at risk—Tapia refused to comply. When following orders suddenly meant hiding vital information from parents, she said no. Tapia didn’t cower in fear, take a bribe, or ignore the situation altogether. Instead, she chose to do the hard thing. The right thing.
What’s Your Story?
School board members are elected officials who swear an oath to uphold the United States Constitution. Protecting teachers is their responsibility when it comes to drafting and voting on district policies. Administrators should not manipulate or control this process. Furthermore, school districts don’t have the legal right or moral authority to give ultimatums or blackmail employees into submission. It’s time teachers say, “Enough is enough.”
Transgender ideology is a dangerous lie and a mental illness that shouldn’t be imposed on anyone. Still, K-12 educators often conceal their Christian beliefs to avoid backlash and discrimination. These are the “don’t rock the boat” types. It’s also possible that some teachers are simply unaware or unbothered by high-profile issues on campus. These are the “ostrich” types. For the sake of moral clarity, consider the following real-life scenarios that also degrade our public education system.
We currently have teachers who, for whatever reason, purposely pass unprepared students on to the next grade level. Rebellious teachers hide inappropriate books in their classrooms and read filth to children behind parents’ backs. An increasing number are perpetrating or ignoring signs of sexual, physical, mental, and emotional abuse. Public schools are overflowing with activists disguised as teachers whose sole mission is to advance union agendas.
I say, enough is enough.
Of course, there are a host of problems that educators shouldn’t be blamed for, including:
overspending, mismanagement, and corruption at the district level.
excessive classroom sizes.
laxed or nonexistent disciplinary policies.
the expectation of training fellow teachers without compensation.
submitting to self-important, intimidating administrators (many of whom don’t even like children).
These hardships don’t go unnoticed by parents, community members, and board members who share educators’ concerns. Nevertheless, Tapia’s story is a prototype, a demonstration of boldness that highlights every teacher’s responsibility to always respond with moral integrity and conviction.
It’s simple: Set and keep professional boundaries. Respect students and safeguard their innocence. Be straightforward with parents and never lie to save face. Refuse to be intimidated or comply with unconstitutional policies. Don’t quit in the heat of the battle. Know your rights. If you experience legitimate discrimination on school grounds, consult legal counsel and file a complaint.
Teachers shouldn’t be discouraged when criticisms are ignored and questions go unanswered. Those with the most power are typically the least compelled to solve problems that don’t immediately affect them. Oftentimes, negative publicity is the only way to disrupt the status quo. To be sure, nothing will change if good teachers keep playing nice, remaining silent, or walking away. There’s no outrunning the madness in government schools—you must find the backbone to confront the madness head-on.
Tapia’s testimony aligns with a theme we see throughout the Bible: God rewards obedience and courage; He hates rebellion and cowardice. Tapia’s story is a provocation for teachers to blow the whistle and stand on truth regardless of the consequences. Even if you’re not particularly religious, your First Amendment rights don’t end where bad district policies begin.
This school year can be different than years past. It just takes one good teacher to find their voice and lead the way.
Attorney General Kris Mayes has long fancied herself as a champion for ratepayers. After another round of rate hikes rolled in at the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), this time a proposed 14% increase by both APS and TEP, AG Mayes fired off a press release announcing that she will “vigorously oppose” these requests as “Arizona residents struggle to keep up with ever-increasing electricity bills.”
Setting aside the fact that the AG has little purview over ACC affairs, Mayes seems to think that her own time serving on the Commission back in the 2000s makes her uniquely qualified to stop what seems like an endless barrage of double-digit rate hikes by our public utilities. Unfortunately for ratepayers, having Kris Mayes involved will only pour fuel on the Net Zero fire currently raging at the Corporation Commission.
You see, Kris Mayes is the one that laid the foundation for the Green Scam rate hikes Arizonans are suffering through today. In fact, the biggest irony about having Kris Mayes jump into the rate hike fray is that it highlights the dangerous parallels between the Commission she served on in 2006 and the one that we have today…
Arizona Republican Congressman Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ08) issued a call this week for Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, to resign. Hamadeh cited a series of failures from Powell in an official Congressional letter sent on Sunday.
“My call for Chairman Powell’s resignation does not come lightly nor without good cause,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “Considering the recent revelations by Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought about Chairman Powell’s gross mismanagement of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation project, and his apparent lack of candor before the Senate Banking Committee, neither does my call come too soon.”
In a post to X Monday, Hamadeh further stated, “Jerome Powell has lost the confidence and ability to effectively Chair the Federal Reserve.”
My call for Chairman Powell’s resignation does not come lightly nor without good cause. Jerome Powell has lost the confidence and ability to effectively Chair the Federal Reserve. https://t.co/khyPnPPKfX
Senators pressed Powell hard on the ongoing $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed’s headquarters during the Chairman’s semiannual monetary policy hearing before Congress in June. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) critcized Powell for the renovations, referring to them as “luxury upgrades that feel more like they belong in the Palace of Versailles.”
James Blair, a White House deputy chief of staff, announced in a post to X, “The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General is considering opening an investigation into the massive cost overruns for their $2.5B+ HQ renovation project.”
Blair was appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission which holds oversight over the project last week.
🚨 BREAKING: The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General is considering opening an investigation into the massive cost overruns for their $2.5B+ HQ renovation project – which has been called the “Taj Mahal at the National Mall”.
In his letter calling for Powell to step down, Congressman Hamadeh echoed the words of Director Vought, who questioned the “ostentatious” overhaul of the Federal Reserve Campus and also cited the Chairman’s “failure to accurately assess the effects of tariffs” and “refusal to lower interest rates for the good of the nation in a timely manner,” as causes. He added, “This renovation is $700 million over budget at a time when your political game playing is wreaking havoc with Americans’ budgets. In fact, it is your failure at the Fed that has caused home ownership to be cost prohibitive for too many young families, denying them access to one of the most important facets of the American Dream.”
Hamadeh continued by highlighting Powell’s failed predications on the Trump administration’s tariff system.
He wrote, “Aside from the burden you have placed on taxpayers, who must foot the bill for your frivolous fabrications, you have failed to properly assess the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. Contrary to your predictions, increasing tariff collections are helping improve government finances with the U.S. Treasury Department posting a $27 billion budget surplus in June 2025.”
Hamadeh acknowledged that “White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has said that President Trump has the authority to fire Chairman Powell for cause,” but added that “it shouldn’t have to come to that.”
He concluded, “Chairman Powell needs to accept the fact that his political game playing has led to harmful failures and step down for the good of the country.”
Blademir Angulo Audeves, a Mexican national, was arrested on July 8th , 2025, and charged with Harboring of an Illegal Alien, Knowingly Employing Unauthorized Aliens, Improper Entry by an Alien, and Alien in Possession of a Firearm.
Angulo made his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, July 11th.
Homeland Security Investigations launched an investigation in March 2025 following allegations that Angulo was employing undocumented workers, without work authorization, at his taco restaurants in the Phoenix area.
The investigation revealed that at least 12 illegal aliens were working for Angulo, some of whom were residing at his home in Laveen, Arizona, or at a secondary residence on 16th Avenue.
On July 8th, Homeland Security executed federal search warrants at Angulo’s main residence, restaurant locations, and secondary residence.
Agents encountered several Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be in the United States at both residents, arresting them and Angulo.
During the search of his Laveen home, agents found three firearms along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition in the closet of the master bedroom.
Immigration records show Angulo was previously encountered in the U.S illegally in 2011 and voluntarily departed through Nogales, Arizona, in May of 2021.
At the time of his arrest, Angulo lacked legal permission to be in the U.S., prohibiting him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
At Angulo’s taco restaurants, Homeland Security also identified more Mexican citizens without legal authorization to be present or employed in the U.S.
Two individuals, Christian Sagaste-Garcia and Jose Luis Ambriz-Cortes, were encountered by Homeland Security on the same operation. They were both arrested and charged with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. They had been previously removed from the U.S. in October 2024 and February 2013, respectively.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice Initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and keeping our communities safe.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
